Gemotions

The text message arrived late at night: "Hey, it's Olivia. Your dad… he was my dad too. Can we talk?" David stared at the illuminated screen, the words burning into his retinas.

He threw his phone onto the bed, the screen facing down. He felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his gut. He grabbed his stomach, as if to physically contain the turmoil.

He got up and started pacing. The apartment felt too small, too confining. He needed to get out, to be anywhere but here. He grabbed his coat, pulled it on, and stormed out the door, the chill night air doing little to soothe his rising agitation.